Orange Insider - Wake Forest at Syracuse: SU has to do better at home in the Dome

View full sizeCourtesy of Wake ForestWake Forest senior linebacker Kyle Wilber (right) led the team last season with 6 sacks. He switched from the inside position to outside last season in Wake's 3-4 defense.

The theme of the 2010 Syracuse University football team was get to a bowl game, a bold goal considering the team was 14-45 over the previous five years and was coming off a 4-8 record in Doug Marrone’s inaugural season.

Yet, SU got it done, an achievement made more remarkable by its anemic 2-4 record at home, 0-4 against fellow FBS teams. The performance set the stage for the theme of the 2011 season, which will commence at 8 p.m. Thursday when Syracuse faces Wake Forest in the Carrier Dome.

“One of the things we have talked about with this football team is the way we play at home,” Marrone said. “We have not had a winning record at home since 2004.”

Marrone was a first-year starter at offensive tackle for the Orange in 1983 when the team embarked on a 22-year Dome record of 95-34-2. Over the last six years SU’s record there is 13-26. Marrone knows that in order to win back the team’s fan base it must perform better at home.

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An opener with a team that went 3-9 a season ago and is picked to finish well down in the Atlantic Coast Conference pack would seem to present a perfect opportunity to do so. Marrone is taking nothing for granted, though.

“We have a challenge right off the bat,” he said. “This is a big game. Wake Forest . . . obviously they had a disappointing year last year. I was able to watch every single game, and football is a funny game. They had some tough breaks early on in some of those games and the games got out of hand.”

Marrone is correct. Jim Grobe is a good football coach. During his 10-year tenure he has led the team to more bowl games and victories and more eight-victory seasons than any coach in school history.

Wake’s problem last season was one SU will face this season — youth and inexperience, as 13 freshmen started at least one game. Seventeen starters are back.

Specifically, the Demon Deacons will field a huge, veteran offensive line and a dynamic tailback in sophomore Josh Harris, the same combination that gave the Orange defense fits last season in Dome losses to Louisville, Connecticut and Boston College down the stretch.

“Obviously, it is a great challenge for us as a coaching staff,” Marrone said.

Here are five keys to victory for Syracuse:

Win the turnover battle

Marrone huddled with his team during preseason camp and delivered this tidbit regarding the 2010 season: The Orange was undefeated in games in which it was plus-2 in turnover margin. It was 8-2 in games in which it was plus-1. The problem was the team finished the season at minus-4 in this game-changing statistic. The offense was decent, committing 21 turnovers in 13 games, but as good as the defense was it failed to force many giveaways (17).

A big play or two

The Orange achieved an 8-5 record and a bowl victory last season despite an alarming lack of big plays. No punts or kickoffs were returned for touchdowns. Only two completions went for longer than 50 yards. The defense failed to score a point via a turnover. With a defense expected to take a step back this season as young players gain experience SU must find a way to manufacture more points.

Protect better

The SU offensive line allowed 33 sacks last season, not horrible considering Ryan Nassib set a school record with 358 passes but not great either. Four of five starters up front return. With an upgrade at wide receiver, a fine receiver out of the backfield in Antwon Bailey and a year of experience under Nassib’s belt the Orange offense is poised to break out.

Contain the damage

SU fielded the nation’s No. 7 defense last season because it was able to pull off the difficult gambit of all-out aggression to stop the run while not getting burned with the deep pass. With two new starting cornerbacks in the lineup this season a repeat performance will be hard to accomplish. Yet, defensive coordinator Scott Shafer is not one to back away from his attacking style. Cornerbacks Kevyn Scott, Ri’Shard Anderson and Keon Lyn must meet the challenge.

Offset this disadvantage

The Deacons will enter the game with a big, veteran offensive line and a game-breaking tailback, a combination that broke the Orange often down the stretch last season. SU’s front seven is in an even more precarious position this season, as its linebackers are smaller and more inexperienced than last season’s unit. Yet, SU’s front seven is substantially faster than it was a year ago. It must use its speed to offset Wake’s size.

Key stat

Wake Forest finished No. 101 in the nation in total defense last season, allowing 430.7 yards per game. Syracuse finished No. 97 in total offense, averaging 322.8 yards per game.

2010 season: Was the starter at defensive end and then moved to outside linebacker when Wake moved to a 3-4 defense … finished third on the team with 65 tackles … led team with 14.5 TFL and 6.0 sacks … second on the team with four pass breakups … led team with three forced fumbles.

2009 season: Opened the season against Baylor with a blocked kick, fumble recovery and a sack … suffered a broken leg vs. Stanford and missed the next seven games … played in each of the final three contests of the season.

2008 season: Youngest starter on the Wake Forest defense . . . honorable mention Freshman All-America honors from College Football News … fourth on team with three sacks … started each of the final seven games.

2007 season: Redshirted.

High school: Rated by Rivals as the nation’s 37th-best defensive end … first team All-Central Florida.

Did you know?: Wilber is double-majoring at Wake Forest in sociology and communications.